Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Round Up Saturday 3rd September 2011.
The Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ season got underway on Saturday 3rd September with a number of teams involved in tournaments, some teams played controlled game scenarios whilst others played full games.
At Grosvenor Grammar School the I H Graham Invitation Tournament took place with Grosvenor Grammar School, Banbridge Academy, Rainey Endowed School and Campbell College being joined by Gonzaga College from Dublin and Altrincam College from Cheshire.
CLICK HERE For 200 Pictures from the day & thnaks to Brian Kennedy for taking the pictures
The home team opened their account with a 7-0 win against Altrincam. Neil Adams scored the try with Carl Rae adding the conversion. In their second game the Grosvenor team was leading by 7-0 at half time against Campbell College Paul Kennedy scored the try which Carl Rae converted. However, a second half resurgence with a try and a goal saw the current holders of the Northern Bank Ulster Schools’ Cup win the game by 12-7 to book their place in the final. The Grosvenor team finished their day with a 3rd/4th play-off game against Rainey Endowed with a first half try from Carl Rae and a second half try from Paul O’Neill sufficient to see them through this game with a 10-0 victory.
The Rainey team had opened their account with a 10-0 win against Banbridge Academy. Jamie Noble scored the only try of the game while Martin Connolly kicked a conversion as well as a penalty. The Magherafelt team lost their second game by 21-7 to the impressive Gonzaga College team with Thomas Booth scoring a try which Martin Connolly converted.
Having lost their first game to Rainey the Banbridge boys put up a good performance in their second game before going down by 22-5 against the Gonzaga College team. Their consolation try in this game came from Alex Thompson, their hard working No 8. Banbridge played Altrincam College in their final game winning this one by 5-0. The only try of this game came from the Banbridge centre, Carl Stirling
In the final of the I H Graham Trophy Campbell College played the Gonzaga College team which is coached by the former Irish Schools’ and Leinster coach, Bobby Byrne who shares the responsibility for coaching the team with the former IRFU National Schools’ Development Manager, John Murphy. The Dublin team kicked a first half penalty and scored a second half goal to win the tournament by 10-0.
Following the last game Ian Graham, an ex-King’s Scholars player and former President of the Ulster Branch presented the Graham Trophy to the captain of the victorious Gonzaga College team.
